Thanks for the answer to Board Question #14478 . Your answer was great, and it was even a bit ironic that it was you who would answer...

Um, so related question: Do you think Prince Charles has a passport? Does President Bush? Do heads of state or monarchy need passports? Does President Busyh go through customs when he visits a different country (the place you would normally show your passport)?

- Stanley Bostitch, who doesn't think this question is really worth much research

A:
Dear Stanley Bostitch,The Special Issuance Agency, located in Washington, D.C., issues no-fee passports to citizens traveling abroad for the U.S. Government, their dependents (if permitted to accompany them), and certain others who are exempt by law from payment of the passport fee. So my guess is that yes, everyone has to have a passport, but certain individuals like the president are exempt from paying for it.

I'm not a special individual with experience on this or profess to be an expert on international dignitary travel, but we all know that said individuals usually travel by private plane or other means of transportation and have their own "entrances" at airports, and I would think he doesn't have to go through a specific customs check since most people in the world know who he is. He isn't going through the customs check that most of us are familiar with anyway. "Why are you visiting [enter name of country here] today?" "Do you have sufficient funds to support you during your stay?" "How long are you staying?" "Are you affiliated with any terrorist organizations?" Blah blah blah.

I also sent an email to the UK passport office to see if their country is any different...if I receive any follow-up information I'll let you know, since this question does need to post someday and you never know when people will respond to inquiries (or enquiries, as they are in the UK).

-Duchess, who doesn't think the q merits much research either, but finds such questions interesting and thanks you for asking them anyway

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